Boss of The Bi-Fold Door Studio explains why we are becoming bi-curious

There was a time when bi-fold doors were reserved only for the rich and the famous.

We would see celebrities on TV living a life of luxury in open plan mansions, basking in glorious sunshine in the garden with their bi-folds wide open behind them.

But times have changed. Bi-fold doors have become affordable and, as we move towards a more continental way of living in the UK, they have become extremely popular.

Gabriel Carty, of The Bi-Fold Door Studio in Fenny Stratford, explained: “It’s the way we live now. People used to have a lounge and a dining room, but they now have a lounge-diner and, with bi-fold doors, you can easily open it up to the outside world.

“So we might be eating inside or outside these days and the garden has become the third, fourth or fifth living space.

“Bi-folds are an extension of your house and make your garden part of your home.”

Gabriel gave some insight into the way the bi-fold door industry has changed.

He said: “As little as five or six years ago there might have been one or two suppliers, but now there’s hundreds of suppliers. Hardly any new extension architects’ drawings will be designed without a bi-fold.

“Nine out of 10 bi-fold orders we get are part of an extension. We can have them fully installed within 28 days of survey.”